Automatic valve



July 6 1926.

J. J. MURPHY AUTOMATIC VALVE Filed Sept. 11, 1924 Li/ vflLw i ftzLi.

INVENTOR 5 Mar #11 ATTORNEY Patented July '6, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES J. MURPHY, OF NEW HAVEN, CDNNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

Application filed September 11, 1924. Serial No. 737,131.

The present invention relates to automatically operating valves useful particularly with the radiators of steam heating systems. The purpose of such valves is to permit the automatic expulsion of air from the radiators under action of internal pres sure generated by the expanding vapors and further to allow the valves to close automatically to prevent re-admission of air, whereby a partial vacuum or pressure below atmospheric can be maintained so as to gain the best working condition in the heating system. Another purpose of valves of this kind is to efi'ect sealing against the leakage of water when the radiator is flooded and to permit automatic siphoning of water from the valve when the water level in the radiator or piping falls below said valve.

The objects of the invention, among others, are to produce aneflicient valve composed of the minimum number of'parts so asto facilitate and cheapen production, and at the same time produce a valve which will perform all the required functions.

The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the central portion of the improved valve;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved valve; and

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing in perspective a part of the crown of the valve.

Describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated by said drawings, the cylindrical or other suitably shaped shell 1 forms the casing of the valve, and this shell is open at the top with a double flange around the open end to provlde a seat 2 and an-overhanging flan e 3, respectively to receive and retain a diap ragm 4 and a rotatable cover or cap 5. A hollow float 6 is contained within the casing 1 and the bottom of said float is hermetically. closed by a flexible diaphragm 7, which rests on an upwardly extending depression 8, at the bottom of the casing so as to elevate said float from the bottom of the casing. This float is arranged .to move up and down when the valve is operating and to keep and guide this float, the inwardly depressed circumferential heading 9', is formed in the shell. This beading is flattened or broken at points to allow the passage of air or vapor around the float.

A nipple 10, having a threaded end, is secured at the bottom of the casing and this nipple provides means for connecting the valve to a radiator. A siphon tube 11, passing through said nipple, is secured to the casing by expanding the end 12, and which end, being the inlet end, it will be noted, is located below the bottom of the float 6 so that the latter will not interfere with the draining of water through said siphon.

The valve element 13 is carried by the float 6 and said element has a conical or pointed tip which fits in the valve seat 14 of the valve body 15. The-latter body is supported by the diaphragm 4; and the upper end is housed within the crown 16 of the cover 5. An auxiliary valve element consisting of the disk l'fisiaidapted to close the upper or oatr paa of the vent passage 21 in the valveb'ody 'and"the"pin valve element closes the lower or inner port of said vent passage.

The said disk valve element 17' is con tained wholly within the said crown and has cars 18 which engage elongated bosses 19 in the sides of said crown. By this means, the disk 17 is allowed an independent vertical movement to open or close the vent 21 and when the cover is rotated, for the purvalve it will first be pointed out, in order to 7 get the very best results from a steam heating system, a working condition should be established and maintained wherein the internal pressure is below the atmospheric pressure, or in other words, a partial vacuum should be created within the system. The valve hereinbefore described permits such desirable conditions to be established and maintained for immediately upon raising steam within the system, the accumulated air J's-expelled through the open vent, in the valve body. When the external pressurev is slightly greater than the internal pressure, the upper diaphragm moves lnt-o the lower flexed position the auxiliary or check valve 17 operating to close the outer port of the vent against admission of air. The float which carries and operates the main valve closing elementi-s of a known type containing a highly volatile liquid which expands under action of the heated steam so that the lower diaphragm at the bottom of said float is moved to the lower flexed position thereby lifting the float and valve element to close the lower port in the vent or air outlet in the valve body. It will be noted that the chamber containing the float and located below the upper diaphragm, is doubly sealed against the admission of air tHifi-iii frrm 'flre oi'it sideiiid when the pressure within said chamber rausteiew atmos- 1151 1 pressure, the change inpressure will caus e the'flexing of the upper diaphragm frofn i't's upper or normal flexed position to the lower flexed position and thus tending to act conjunctively with the lower diaphragm in effecting the tight closure of the valve so that a partial vacuum or low pressure condition may be maintained withm said chamber.

It will be understood the float is of the ordinary type and operates in a known manner, when the valve casing is flooded, to close the air vent in the valve body to stop escape of water, Also the siphon is of a known and operates in a known manner to carry off Water which may be present in the valve chamber.

I claim: V 1. A valve of the class described having a casing, a pair of flexible diaphragms located one above the other within said casing and arranged to operate separately or conjunctively to maintain an internal low pressure working condition within the valve chamber below the upper diaphragm, a valve body member supported by said upper diaphragm, a valve element eo-operatively associated with the lower diaphragm. said valve body having a vent therethrough arranged to be closed and opened by means of said valve element respectively operated by the upwardly and downwardly flexing of the lower diaphragm, an independently operating auxiliary valve element operating to open and close said vent, a cap arranged to coverand rotate on said casing, 21 housing for said auxiliary valve element carried by said cap, and engaging means between said I auxiliary element and said housing whereby said casing, said upper diaphragm carrying said body member and the lower diaphragm belng carried by said floating member, said upper diaphragm hermetically sealing the valve chamber within said casing, said dia-.

phragms being operative separately or 0011- junctively to maintain an internal low pres sure working condition in said chamber, an auxiliary valve element contained within a rotatable housing for sealing the vent in the valx e body against admission of air into said valve chamber, an elevated seat for saidfloating member, a nipple leading from the lower end of said casing, a siphon within said nipple having its inletbelow said diaphragm, and an inwardly depressed circumferential beading around said casing providing a guide for said floating member.

Signed at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, thls 6th day of September, A. D. 1924.

JAMES J. MURPHY. 

